Get your gloves, scarves, longjohns and say your prayers. GT is going to their 7th straight bowl game in Boise.

Can you feel the excitement of the executive director of the bowl "Through the process of elimination, we get Georgia Tech,". Hey buddy, calm down. I know you are excited about getting the Jackets, but really. (heavy sarcasm).

We will probably play Boise State, but will not know officially until Monday.

The YellowJackets are to be congratulated for a successful season. It was a rollercoaster ride, and a fun one. Frustrating, exhillerating, thrilling, exasperating, you name it. You showed yourselves well and represented the school well. Now let's get a W to end this season.

It's true.......................in the 2004 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings. Well, sounds like this guy has built a great algorithm. Maybe he should consult for the BCS. Maybe we could win the national championship in football also.

Saturday, November 29, 2003

Jeremis's Dunbar team won the semi-final of a Thanksgiving tourney. Smith put up a game-high 21 points. This was after a previous victory in the 1st round of the tourney, where Jeremis dropped 17 points. They play the final today.

In his previous game against Dallas Carter, Smith had 20 points, 13 boards, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Check out the stats for the UGA/GT game. We led in rushing yards, passing yards, first downs, time of possesion and had fewer penalties. Both teams lost a fumble, but of course a blocked punt and 3 INT's sealed the deal.

Just goes to show you stats lie. Of course, if you lose the turnover battle 4-1 it is hard to win.

"...Defensive end Felipe Claybrooks, who was released from the regular roster Tuesday, was signed to the practice squad" Claybrooks was with the Brown.

Also, in case you missed it, Lee Flowers was suspended then released from the Broncos due to a drug test failure. Flowers said he did not know that the vitamin supplement he bought over the counter contained the banned substance ephedra.

I have added a new section at the bottom left showing links to NBA.com for the players GT currently has in the pro's. You can see stats for the year or game by game. We currently have 7 players in the NBA.

The Raptors just made a trade in an attempt to strengthen their winning ability. Since Chris Bosh now seems to have cracked the starting lineup and is getting big minutes, they need some more talent around he and Vince Carter. I sure there will be many articles in the coming weeks about Bosh's progress and important growing role on the team.

Well, even though the score was not as lopsided as last year, the result was just as frustrating as the Dawgs took it to us. Just too many mistakes on our part cost us the game. R.Ball only played one half due to a mild concussion, but I was starting to worry about his emotions. I love the intensity he plays with but today I think he went a little too far over the edge. He was trash talking after every play and I think he lost his focus on running the team. Although I did love the play where he leveled that defensive guy instead of going out of bounds.

All in all a frustrating game. But let's get on with life. I am sure the coach bashers will be out in force on the other sites, but let's look at the entire year before making our judgements. I still say with all the adversity this team faced, they beat expectations and had a successful year. Let's hope we can end it on a high note by winning a bowl game. Although right now, I am HOPING that we actually get invited to Boise. If Wake loses to MD then we are the last bowl eligible team in the ACC. If WF wins, then we may be competing with them for a bowl. Guess what - Wake is up on MD right now 14-6. At least we beat WF head-to-head. Also, Virginia took care of business by beating VaTech.

How about that. Based on Jeff Sagarin's rankings, GT is now #2 behind Florida in basketball. Although based on the data, I think they have something wrong. They show us with an 0-0 record against top 10 teams and show our strength of schedule at #109 in the country. So something is wrong.

Not sure the what they story is, but one of the recruiting sites has this headline "Randolph Morris not ready to entertain other teams". Hopefully this means that even though he will decide what he will do in the spring, he is not planning on opening up recruiting to other teams. Hopefully.

The Raptors have now won three consecutive games on the road after a 0-5 record away from home to start the season. It was the second straight night the Raptors had to rely on Carter to save the day but rookie Chris Bosh has been a solid addition to the starting core. While forward/center Antonio Davis had a blue-collar 15 points and eight rebounds, Bosh played the perfect tag team partner. The Georgia-Tech product scored 16 points, which included a wicked baseline dunk in the second quarter and an alley-oop feed from point guard Alvin Williams for a slam to set off the fourth. He rounded out his game with eight rebounds and three steals.

"Chris is the real deal," said Oâ€™Neill. "He is what he is. Iâ€™m probably playing him too many minutes but itâ€™s needed right now."

...crank up your grills, fire up the coals and TURN UP THE HEAT!!! It is time for an upset. We are underdogs and ready to knock some heads. Team, THIS IS YOUR BOWL!!! This is revenge, this is redemption, this is payback, this is for respect, this is for bragging rights, this is PERSONAL!!!

Make it happen. Kick the dawgs - send them looking for shelter. Time for a little "euthenasia".

Friday, November 28, 2003

I watched 80 minutes of incredible Georgia Tech Basketball and I couldn't be happier about the way the team played. Needless to say, Isma'il is still the spark plug on the team--I really feel that we owe this guy for at least 3 of our 5 wins. A couple of theories have been expounded recently on the board that are interesting ones that bear repeating:

1) Luke doesn't matter. We (I) have spent a lot of time talking about how badly Luke has looked in some of the early contests, and there's no way to refute that--although he is improving. Quick--name our center on the Final Four team in 1990? Case in point...are we witnessing another frontcourt that makes us forget about poor Johnny McNeil???

2) Isma'il and Jack are better off without Bosh and Nelson. Len Elmore announcing for ESPN said this during tonight's game as well and it's a tough argument to make. Still, did Bosh demand so much of the offense that these guys never had a chance to take over as they have so far this year? Better yet--is the TEAM better without two stars?

3) This team doesn't cruise when ahead by ten. An excellent observation that bears repeating...we didn't do it against ULL and we didn't do it against UConn or Bobby Knight's team. Quick...name a Cremins coached Georgia Tech team that did that--do the Richmond spiders ring a bell? I still think we'll get ambushed this year a few times (FSU maybe?) but so far they've shown that they will not drop the defensive intensity when up by significant leads.

Scott, the biggest thing that you missed tonight was a TENACIOUS defense that was as good as any I've seen in 20+ years of watching Tech hoops. Isma'il Muhammad would have made Karl "the defensive specialist" Brown proud tonight the way he stuck on defenders like glue. Plus the 360-dunk didn't hurt his image any.

We're beginning to get press on ESPN, etc. At another point during the broadcast tonight, Len Elmore said that we're the "most underrated team in college basketball" but that's not saying alot since people thought we'd basically suck. Will the team keep the pressure on? We have an Ohio State team that is beaten down and hungry coming up in Columbus...keep the good work up, Jackets!!! You gotta feel good with contests against OSU, Tenn. St., and then the Billikens up in St. Louis coming up. Oh, you better believe that we'll have a witness in the crowd there, baby...

....the comments questioning Paul Hewitt's ability to coach. I have been a passionate supporter of Paul Hewitt on this site and what he is doing with this program. On the discussion boards he gets plenty of props as a recruiter but people have questioned his ability to coach. I can understand that given our seemingly minimal progress the last few years. But the truth is Hewitt has had to deal with a tremendous amount of adversity since arriving.

I pray that we will continue to see what we are seeing. He will make us ALL believers in him as a coach on the floor. Here is a guy who can recruit with the best, stands up for his players (a la Luke), calls out the NCAA when needed, is highly articulate, is polished and professional on the sidelines. Now people will see the fruits of what he is trying to do here as a coach on the floor. I sure am proud to have a guy like this representing MY school.

If you don't believe me, check out what Bobby Knight had to say - click here. Like Knight or not (I don't), the guy knows hoops. MAJOR respect from BK.

GaTech whoops up Texas Tech 85-65. I am incredibly disappointed to say I only saw the last 4 minutes of the Texas Tech game (driving back from a big turkey day with family), so I will not comment much. From the comments and reading the re-cap, it sounded like a re-play of the UConn game. I could not be more proud of this team and their hustle. We are setting the stage for a return to the big dance and I love it!!

Good job to J.Jack / BJ Elder for making the All-Tourney team and to Is'mail for winning MVP!!! Great team effort. I liked Is'mail's comments after the game. He said this team really believes in one another. There does seem to be a real chemistry, and guys like Moore and McHenry and even Mario West willing to come in and do dirty work really makes a difference.

Did everyone miss this side note in the AJC a few days ago? It turns out that Gailey neglected to nominate Nat Dorsey for the All-ACC list this year after two consecutive years of consideration (and being named all-ACC two years in a row). Here's some of the text:

"That coach Chan Gailey didn't even nominate his junior left offensive tackle for consideration was even more surprising. Senior center Hugh Reilly, who was selected to the league's first team, was the Yellow Jackets' only nominee from the offensive line.

"I don't have any control over that," Dorsey (6 feet 6, 330 pounds) said after Tuesday's practice. "All I can do is what I do on the field. That has no bearing on how I'm playing -- I just have to go with it."

Gailey could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening."

Is the fact that Dorsey is considering going pro after this season coincidence? Boy, that certainly won't keep the good will flowing. I'm sure that Gailey has a good reason for this, and he gets the benefit of the doubt here, but still--why??? I don't think that there is a limit on nominations...but maybe I'm wrong there. Puzzling...

Thursday, November 27, 2003

I still think it is unthinkable that Daryl Smith only was honarable mention for All ACC team. Here is a story on the match-up with UGA focusing on D.Smith.

Also, from another board, someone reported that the Sporting News has Smith listed as the #1 inside linebacker on their Draft Watch. How can that be and he NOT be on the All ACC team? Just doesn't make sense to me.

Lastly, The Southern Sports Report tonight did a nice TV profile of PJ Daniels, showing him around campus, etc. Talked about his contribution to the team, his focus on school (3.5 GPA!!!), and that he wants to become an orthodontist!! Nice story!

Also, notice the comments about the NIT coaches - "The Preseason NIT brought some of college coaching's cream of the crop to the Garden this week in Calhoun, Texas Tech's Bobby Knight and Utah's Rick Majerus. All three expressed their appreciation for the NIT."

Thanks for giving absolutely no props to Paul Hewitt, who is going to make the most noise.

Raptors win in OT over the Hawks. Bosh starts the game for the 2nd time and goes for 17 points (5-12), hits another 3-pointer (3-3 this year), gets 7 boards (5 offensive!), 3 blocks. Vince Carter was the man scoring 43 (31 in the 2nd half). Nice going!! Lastly, Bosh had the dunk of the night on NBA live on ESPN, by tomahawking one over Theo Ratliff that was monster - and the foul.

The other message boards are lighting up about GT's victory. And almost every comment is PRO-GT - representing the ACC. The common negative comment is that this means Duke will be #1, of course making nobody happy (except Dorkies of course)

I also happened to check out the UConn message boards - they are lit up, but you know what? They have some classy fans. They were obviously frustrated, but giving GT props for the heart and hustle they played with. A classy group on the boards.

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Well, if you want a breakdown of the 2nd half, JUST RE-READ THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FIRST HALF!!!!

All I can say is I could not be more proud of this team and the effort they put in. I saw a team that left it ALL out on the floor!!! They gave it everything. There were twisted ankles, bloody lips, hamstring pulls, cramps, but they just kept coming and coming and coming.

What impresses me the most is that they never really let UConn back in the game in the 2nd half. They closed it out!! They took care of their business. This was NOT the team of last year that would give up leads late in the game. They closed.

I could sit and go over all the great performances, but what I saw was a team effort. Everyone contributed, everyone hustled, everyone played their heart out.

I do want to comment on one player - Ismaâ€™il Aaqib Muhammad. I have one word to describe some of the things you did tonight - SICK!!! Absolutely SICK!!! That dunk-and-one where you got mauled got me out of my seat jumping like a maniac. Your ability to find the hoop is SICK!! Your hops are SICK!!! Please Please keep up this intensity.

Lastly, I cannot resist - hey Big East - who's your daddy??? I said ---who's your daddy? Don't tell me the Big East is the best basketball conference when their #1 loses to the team most have picked to finish 7th in the ACC!!!

Watching the 1st half was EXCITING. All I can say is INTENSITY. This team has hustled in the 1st half like nobody's business. Hustled for rebounds, hustled to help on defense, hustled to get out on the break and hustled to get back. Here are some specific notes

- Moore has some FIRE!! I was very impressed with his intensity. Strong on the boards and defense. Even hit a 3-pt shot.
- BJ is ON FIRE. Dropped 15 in the 1st half. No doubt BJ is a big-game player.
- Strong work on the boards. Generally nice block outs and a swarming hit-the-glass mentality. We actually OUTREBOUNDED UConn in the 1st half
- Weak in transition defense. UConn is excellent with transition offense and a lot of their points came easy this way. Need to tighten this up.
- Is'mail has incredible ball control. I am very impressed with his ability to dribble in traffic and find the basket. Had a wicked dunk on a fast breatk, then he almost blocked the fast break shot on the other end. WOW!! HUSTLE!!
- Luke played very respectably. Hustled, got a few rebounds, scored at least one bucket, got called for a couple of questionable fouls.
- Robert Brooks went down late in the half with an ankle sprain. Two guys had to carry him off the floor. NOT GOOD. I hope it is not that serious, but we will see.
- Jack playing a nice game. Has made a couple of ill-advised passes, but generally solid. Jack has a very nice pull-up jumper from the top of the key. I wish he would look for it more often.

On the UConn side
- Ed Nelson looked quite "pimped out" on the bench. Long silver chain on his neck, earings. Crazy thing is he may find playing time next year difficult to come by.
- Okafor definitely in pain, but hustling none-the-less. He is a big-time player and we definitely are benefitting from his back-problem.

I don't know what this team will do in the 2nd half, but if they can play with this type of intensity in every game, I have NO DOUBT that this is a top 25 team. NO DOUBT!!!

For all the bad memories people have of AJ Suggs, Reggie Ball's numbers this year really are not better than Suggs last year. Why do we hold Reggie in a different light? Probably because he is a true freshman and we all assume he will develop into a player that does not make these type of mistakes. We saw a glimpse of the future in wins against Auburn, MD and NCSt and again almost taking down FSU. But we can't forget the Duke's, UVA's and Clemson's. For all of AJ's bad throws last year, there were many more good ones.

I see a great future for Reggie Ball but I hope people's memories of AJ are more complete than just the mistakes he made.

The big day has arrived, and even with rumors of Okafor on the sidelines with back spasms (fear of Luke perhaps???), I think that tonight is going to be a great opportunity for Luke to show off the skilz that we've been hearing about from Hewitt and others. To me, points aren't the point--I want to see this guy get boards, say 10 or so. Luke made good progress against Cornell, but if he's gonna get 30 minutes tonight, I think he should be focusing on defense and rebounding. We know you've got it in you, Luke...as Scott would say: "take it to the hizzouse!"

Did anyone notice that Ohio State got beaten badly by San Diego State in the Maui classic? Too much time on the beach, maybe??? Perhaps--except that sends them to 0-2 in this young season, playing us in the Big Ten-ACC classic in Columbus after tonight's Tech game vs. the Huskies. Interestingly, SDSU is a fast team with a good frontcourt and little talent in the middle. Sound familiar?

If the Jackets can avoid a blowout tonight, you have to hand it to Hewitt and the guys so far...they've been closing out these games in nice fashion and even in years when we had more talent, Tech has always had trouble putting teams away. We could be in the midst of an outstanding run to move into conference play...Go Jackets!

To this day, Ed Nelson continues to talk to his former teammates at Georgia Tech. He has a good relationship with them. But Nelson can't say that about everyone in the program.

Nelson, who decided to transfer to UConn in May, will see his old teammates tonight when the top-ranked Huskies play Tech in a Preseason NIT semifinal at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nelson, a 6-foot-8, 265-pound junior forward from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is not eligible to play this season because of NCAA transfer rules. He will have two years of eligibility beginning next season.

Under NCAA transfer guidelines, Nelson will have to pay his own expenses for the trip to New York. Still, he said it will be nice to see the players he spent two years with.

As for others from the school?

"One thing about leaving there," he said, "I just wish I could have left on better terms with the coaching staff. I have nothing but respect for all of them. They helped me develop my game the two years I was there. They got me to where my game is today, and I really appreciate that."

Nelson, the ACC rookie of the year two seasons ago, left because he wanted to be close to home. He was born in Brockton, Mass., and still has family in the area. With the exception of his mother, most family members live near Boston.

"It wasn't really a basketball standpoint why I transferred, and I think that's what the coaching staff there had a tough time understanding," he said.

The basketball standpoint Nelson is referring to was the emergence of Theodis Tarver. As a freshman last season, Tarver cut into Nelson's minutes and forward Chris Bosh was starring down low, on his way to the NBA after one season.

"Ed's decision to leave didn't have anything to do with any other player," said Marty Seidlin, a longtime family friend who runs a basketball camp in Fort Lauderdale. "He just wanted to be close to home and that was it."

Nelson started 28 of 31 games as a freshman - including all 16 ACC games. His starts were reduced to 12 of 31 his sophomore season, seven in the conference.

"I had a lot of fun the two years I was there, but it just didn't feel right for me. I felt like I should be closer to home," Nelson said.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said Monday he was disappointed Nelson left, but that he heard rumblings in January the player was considering a transfer.

"I asked him on three or four occasions if he was thinking about transferring and each time he told me no," Hewitt said. "The day after the [spring] signing period, he walked into my office and told me he was going to transfer. It's his choice if he wanted to leave, but I just wish he would have told me in January so I could have recruited players."

Seidlin said Nelson did not decide he wanted to leave Georgia Tech until after the season.

"I mean, I think he was content there," Seidlin said. "But I think when the season was over he wanted to be around his family again."

When Nelson told Hewitt he wanted to be close to home, Hewitt limited Nelson's transfer to New England. To Nelson, those choices only included UConn, Boston College and UMass.

Nelson said he wanted to go to either BC or UConn, with UConn his preference. But the fact the transfer was limited made him believe Hewitt didn't trust the reason he was leaving.

"It seemed like the whole time, people were just thinking it was a basketball thing," Nelson said. "I had trust from my teammates, but I didn't feel like the coaching staff believed me."

Hewitt has moved on.

"I have no problems with Ed," Hewitt said. "He's a good kid and a hard worker. I think UConn is going to be happy that they have him."

- Here is a story about the Raptors problems at center and how Bosh has to be the power forward of the future, not center.

- Here's a story mentioning how Bosh has helped build optimism again in Toronto. Here is an excerpt "......Rookie Chris Bosh has given Raptors fans something they haven’t had for a couple of seasons… optimism. The rail-thin youngster may look like Keon Clark but he sure doesn’t play like him. Watching Bosh on the hardwood, it is hard to believe at times that he is just a 19-year-old rookie. He possesses court awareness and basketball knowledge that even many wily veterans lack. Bosh always seems to be in the right place at the right time and has shown the willingness and ability to step up in the clutch (such as the three-pointer that sent Sunday’s game one week ago against Houston into overtime). Once he bulks up a bit, Bosh might look and play a lot like Indiana superstar Jermaine O’Neal. Bosh is not quite as animated and fiery as O’Neal - his demeanor is actually a lot more like that of Tim Duncan - but he has the skills to play just a notch below those two someday. Not bad considering Duncan and O’Neal happen to be the best forwards in their respective conferences. "

Bryan's post about the top 5 centers in GT history got me thinking. Forget talent - who were the most popular players that never achieved top level status beyond GT?

My list will focus on the more modern era.

1. James "Mad Dog" Munlyn - an absolute fan favorite. Hard to top to cheers he got when he came into a game.

2. Eddie Elisma - a workhorse that gained the respect and admiration. Another fan favorite.

3. Karl Brown - remember when that guy would come into a game and start getting on the opposing PG by guarding him from about 1 foot in? "Pesky" and "Hyper" were two good words. The fans loved it!!!

4. Craig Neal - "Noodles". Remember his senior year (my freshman year). He dished out assists like nobody's business. In fact, in my garage the other day, I found one of those pom-pom shakers they used to handout. On it I wrote "Tech 91 Duke 87, 2-28-1988, Hammonds 29 points, Neal 19 assists". I was there- that's awesome baby. That 19 assists still stands at the GT single game record.

5. Brian Oliver - I think everyone liked Brian and of course he was an important part of "Lethal Weapon 3". Never went on achieve greatness in the NBA but was a fan favorite at GT.

One guy starting to get honorable mention on the current team is Robert Brooks. He seems to be well liked and always cheered when he comes into a ball-game.

Check this out folks. Want to know how close we came to landing Emeka Okafor??? Read this. Can you imagine our line-up with this guy??? No sense in getting too nostalgic now, but very interesting comments about the 8/5 rule and how Hewitt's team has been hurt.

Did we actually stomp on the "G" at last year's UGA game? Check out this article. I hope our guys will find something to motivate them this year. How about - Boise versus Charlotte.........how about 51-7..............how about respect...........how about sending out the seniors on a high note.........how about knocking UGA out of the SEC championship..........how about just stomping a dawg.....how about just shoving it up the nose of every media person and fan telling you how poor you were going to do this year.

Whatever it takes.......let's get it done.......take it to the hizzzz-ouse.

One last comment to remind you of who you are playing.

- on UGA football players
"We may not make a university student out of him, but if we can teach him to read and write, maybe he can work at the post office rather than as a garbage man when he gets through with his athletic career." - UGA defense attorney Hale Almand - referring to UGA athletes during an address to the jury in the Jan Kemp case

I have seen some major flaming on message boards, but I have to say there are some creative folks posting messages on this board. Yes, there are some no-class idiots, but there are also some very funny posts

Examples:

- "Take UVA and VaTech or nobody will be going" - From governer of Virginia

- "I was excited for their game back in 2000, but I became very angry when Lee Corso picked the Hokies. So I struck down his car with a bolt of lightning. I didn't mean for the game to be cancelled. It is time for a rematch." - From God

- "Invite GT or a plague of locusts will rain upon your game" - From God again

A potential wide receiver recruit. Interesting story on Lionel Mitchell, son of former NFL running back "Stump" Mitchell.

Also, here is a story on a pair of twins who want to attend school together and are both good athletes. One is a wide receiver / punt returner and the other a rusher / kick-returner. Both are big-play guys on their team, although one has had some injuries.

The Continental Tire Bowl Website has posted the following message on their website:

Continental Tire Bowl officials are not expected to make an announcement of teams for this year's bowl until late Saturday or early Sunday depending on the outcome of Saturday's games involving Virginia vs. Virgina Tech, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, and Pittsburgh vs. Miami.

Well, what does that mean? It means we either need to beat UGA or hope UVA loses to VaTech if we lose. Either way, our game with UGA on Saturday not only will help determine the SEC champion, it will also determine where our bowl future lies.

- from the article
Georgia Tech is off to a fast start, posting easy wins over Louisiana-Lafayette, Hofstra, and Cornell. Not exactly Murders' Row, but the wins do count. Those of us who thought Coach Paul Hewitt's Yellow Jackets could dominate on the perimeter have not been disappointed. Marvin Lewis, B. J. Elder, and Jarrett Jack are all averaging between 14.7 and 16.3 points per game. More importantly, Jack is dishing out 10 assists per game. Elder is not shooting particularly well, but he still finds ways to score and play defense. That's the good news.

The bad news is that Elder and Jack are also Tech's leading rebounders. Luke Schenscher showed some signs of life against Cornell, but is still averaging a puny 4 rebounds per game. He also has a total of 2 blocked shots in 3 games. This just won't get it done against opponents with any size, like, say, #1 ranked Connecticut, the Yellow Jackets' next opponent in the NIT Semifinals Wednesday night. It is hard to imagine anything but total domination by the Huskie's Emeka Okafor, the best big man in the nation.

Well, the dominoes are falling quickly. NC ST is headed to Orlando, which should bode well for GT going to Charlotte for the Tire Bowl.

Time for GT fans to head over to the Continental Tire Bowl site and start putting you support on the message board about GT and our desire to be in Charlotte. I have. Just click on "Message Board" once you get there.

Looks like the 2nd bowl invite has occurred - Clemson to the Peach Bowl.

What does this mean?? Well, because Clemson played in the Tangerine last year, NC State is probably going to get invited to the Tangerine. That means GT would Probably get invited to the Tire Bowl in Charlotte NC, while UVA would head to Boise. That is because UVA played in the Tire bowl last year, and generally bowls do not like inviting the same team back 2 consecutive years. On top of that, the Big East Rep is probably going to be Virginia Tech and I am sure they do not want to have a UVA/VaTech matchup again because those 2 teams play this week. So actually our chances are decent that we will NOT end up in the frigid winter. Heck, Charlotte is only about 4 hours from Atlanta. We could probably get a good crowd there.

Jarrett Jack was chosen as the ACC player of the week in this early season. Obviously, we're about to get to some real tests, but you can't say enough about how solid he's looked so far with back-to-back double-doubles after being inconsistent (I thought) last year. The emergence of Jack could be a good omen for this team. Keep up the good work, JJ!

Driving in the Canadian back-country gave me time to think about some important things - like global warming, the war in Iraq, the importance of nano-technology in our future, and of course the nagging problem of players leaving the NCAA or high school early to head for the NBA.

While I didn't solve any of the other problems, I may have an idea for the NCAA. First let's lay things out. Kids go to high school for 4 years - that is a given. The world knows you have to at least have a high school education. College is generally needed for most people to succeed in the higher societal classes, but it is not a necessity. The purpose of NCAA basketball used to be to develop players, give them an education and win championships. While that is still true for the vast majority of players, now the cream of every crop either never goes to college or skips out early. For the best of the best, the goal is to showcase your talent to put you in the best position to get drafted - bottomline. So if going to college for a year helps position you probably for the NBA, then you go a year (Bosh). If you don't need to exposure and have the talent, you don't go at all. So who loses - the NCAA. Fact is - Lebron James could probably have gone to the NBA LAST year, but it was a given that he had to finish high school. Why should high schools actually benefit?

That all leads me to an idea. What if NCAA schools started signing up kids as juniors and seniors in high school, bringing them the campus and letting them finish their high school education on a college campus? They will be able to compete at the collegiate level in basketball, giving them the exposure and development they need as basketball players on a higher level. After all, what are all the summer camps and AAU circuits for - but to develop and showcase their talent against better competition. As for their education, they can finish their high school curriculum on campus, so they do not lose out.

Obviously there are potential issues. What about years of eligibility? What about kids who need another 2 years to develop (after 4) and don't have any years left, but they are only 20 years old? How hard is it to properly judge the most talented players in high school as juniors / seniors? How would colleges handle younger kids on campus and build a proper curriculum to get their high school diploma?

This is just some brain food. There are many pitfalls. But the NCAA needs to be competitive in getting the talented players to this level, and not having so many of them skip out. When we have a child prodigy in music, what do they do? They usually pull them out of school and send them to a place for gifted musicians. In general, kids that are super-gifted in a special area are given exposure in an environment that allows them to nourish and develop that ability. Was Lebron James better off playing a bunch of high-school kids and demolishing them his senior year, or would he have been better playing for Louisville for 30-35 games his senior year?

Just some thoughts on how the NCAA can be more competitive and not miss out on the best players. Maybe it could just start with new seniors, so they would only miss their senior year.

By the way, after pouring in 32 points in his first game, he scored another 24 in Saturday's win against Dallas Spruce. Evidently this is an area famous for NOT calling fouls. One comment I saw was that this was an "...ugly hack-a-Jeremis game". Still got his points and the W. Dunbar is now 2-0 and counting.

For a nice picture of Smith going up for the 3-point shot that sent the 1st game into OT, click here. Doesn't look like a desparation shot to me. In fact, looks like nice form as he is triple teamed.

Lastly, did you know Jeremis's coach is the all-time winningest high school boys coach? He has coached for 45 years and has an all-time record of 1282-248. Click here for short story.

Here is a story on the H-Bowl, where we look to be headed. They are already spreading the smack, quoting Ball saying he didn't want to go there but it doesn't matter - we just have to win there. Remember the last time Ball made some strong statements (does Clemson ring a bell).

Our match-up with UConn will be GT's first game against a #1 team since Feb 2002. If you take out the games where we played an ACC team that was #1, we haven't played a #1 since 1995, when we played Georgetown in the NCAA tourney.

Sunday, November 23, 2003

...Can the Tangerine Bowl explain their official site? Click on the link ahead, then click on the "Tangerine Bowl" logo. Click here. If you will notice, they show 2 helmets going against one another. On one helmet is GEORGIA TECH logo!!!!!!! The other helmet is blank.......so is this just a goof? Is this an accident? Is this a major tease to Tech fans convinced that Boise is our destination? Or could it just be true????? Could it be that Orlando beckons?? I for one am not getting up my hopes (at least too high).

All this talk of Luke prompts me to wonder where he rates compared with Tech's other centers. I'm not sure we've had a lot of talented players at the 5 spot. To wit, my "Top 5 Tech Centers Since the Cremins Era"

1. Yvan Joseph. Ever seen that "Best of Georgia Tech" video they used to sell at the bookstore? In it, Bobby describes how he saw Yvan walking around the campus and convinced him to walk on. He also comments that, "I figured anybody from Haiti who wanted to be an engineer had to be a winner." Not making that up. Anyway, if you ever see that '85 ACC tournament final on ESPN Classic, watch Joseph in the second half. He had some big rebounds and big free throws.
2. Matt Geiger. Sure we all complained, but he also got an ACC tournament title and then played 10 years in the NBA. He also had maybe the most exciting assist in Tech history when he lobbed it to Forrest against USC in '92. We just have to pretend that those missed free throws against Memphis in the next game didn't happen.
3. Alvin Jones. Solid post player and a true center.
4. Eddie Elisma (can you see where I'm going with this?)
5. Ummm...James Munlyn?
Yeah, I know we had some great, tough post players like Mackey & Hammonds, and role players like Johnny McNeill, Maurice Brittain, and Ivano Newbill. Salley was great, but I think he was more a 4 than a 5. Same goes for Collier and Bosh.
Even if I left someone out, this clearly this isn't a Lew Alcindor to Bill Walton to Mark Eaton type situation. But we've still had some great teams. The key for us is talented players in the backcourt. Between Jack, Elder, and Bynum, we should have that. I think that what we really need is someone to get the tough rebounds and a few garbage baskets. That may or may not be Luke. But either way, the key for us is strong backcourt play.

Our hoops team deserves some congratulations after holding off a Cornell team that was shooting 50% in the first half in a packed house that got loud when they pulled to within one. BJ Elder, Isma'il Muhammed, and Marvin Lewis took over at that point and sent the Jackets on a 14-2 run that effectively iced the game.

Who deserves the biggest mention after a tough week in which his coach went on the air to defend him on sports talk radio in Atlanta? Luke Schenscher turned in a great night with 15 points, 7 boards, and only 2 personal fouls in 30 minutes of play. Since I've been quick to criticize Luke in his earlier two games, it was good to see him get in a groove...and not a game too soon with UConn coming up!

How about those Huskies? My take is that we keep it close and then lose by 5-10 points, but leave with a 3-1 record, some outstanding confidence, and an awesome RPI booster. Not to mention the team gets to spend a few nights in the big Apple and even play in Madison Square Garden--for (hopefully) the last time this year. I'll guess that we run, but they run faster and the score looks like 95-85 Huskies.

You GOTTA be excited by what these extremely underrated Yellowjackets are doing on the court so far, and if Luke shows some consistency, I think that we could make a move into the middle of the pack (or beyond) in the ACC where we belong.

Yesterday's loss to the hated crapaliers was tough for me to stomach for one additional reason that most have forgotten...I laid down SERIOUS smack to Clemson fan throughout the year after they spanked us in our house. The biggest claim that I made was that we would end up tied with the Tigers in the ACC. Obviously, this was too much to put on the young Tech team that got blown out at Clemson, at Duke and BYU (although the score didn't show it there).

Where does that leave me? In the unenviable position of having to lay claim to the Tangerine Bowl for the Tigers. If they end up getting dissed by Tangerine without being given a chance to turn a bid down for the Tire Bowl, it's a disgrace. To say that Matt "6-6" Schaub and his crew deserves a trip to that bowl after being beaten by Clemson, who is ranked ahead of them and simply killed USC (not THAT USC) yesterday is ludicrous.

A few thoughts on the game/season:

1) Chan Gailey still deserves coach of the year. This guy took a team in utter chaos, made an unpopular choice for QB (Ball's own DAD disagreed with the decision), and went out there preaching the gospel against Auburn, FSU, Maryland, NC State, and Wake when no one else did...all teams that looked better than us on paper.

2) PJ Daniels might not jibe with the win-loss column, but what a weapon he's become looking towards the future. I look forward to us riding his back to another bowl bid next year and he did well yesterday when he was given the ball. The guy is a gamer.

3) Scott's point about the team relying on Ball is a good one, and a great omen for the future as well. I can't remember feeling better about the Jackets heading into the conclusion of a season, and I lay all the credit on Gailey for having the guts to put Ball in there and leave him alone--and let him screw up games in order to learn for the long run.

Let's hear it for snowy blue turf, 50 Tech fans in the stands, and an offseason in the weight room!

Saturday, November 22, 2003

In a display of ego-drive, the director of the Tangerine Bowl made a point to kiss Matt Schaub's rear, wash his locker-towel, then said in a soft voice "...I love you". Ok, maybe a bit much, but looking more like our boys will need to pack for cold weather.

I just love this stuff. If there is one thing most people across the country can unite about it is this - DOOK SUCKS!! So here is another great Duke satire site. The lead headline "Parents Overjoyed at Seeing Child's First Sign of Heterosexuality". A warning - this is one of the more tame stories. Definitely off-color, but funny none-the-less.

Dook struggles in their opener against Detroit but wins 67-56. Their super-frosh Luol Deng scored 21 points. UConn rolled over Sacred Heart 11-64. Wow. Okafor went for 23. UNC also wins their opener against Old Dominion 90-64 as they shoot 62% from the floor (but only 1/7 from 3-pt range).

Volleyball - GT beats FSU in ACC tourney quarterfinals, then beats UVA today 3-0 to advance to the finals. They will play the winner of the MD/Clemson match. The championship game will be televised on Fox Sports South Sunday at 3:30.

Well, the Jackets just couldn't get it done. They lost to UVA 29-17. Watching the game on TV was frustrating. Bottom line is that the offense did NOT make enough plays. A big INT and a big fumble hurt the Jackets. The O-line did not seem to perform well. Ball was under pressure most of the day. The defense played ok and managed to keep UVA out of the endzone most of the time (5 field goals). However, they did move the ball. And we just did not seem to get much pressure on Schaub. Also, how many times did we miss tackles - a bunch!! They had a TON of yards after the first hit.

Jonathan Smith had another good game (91 yards receiving and another punt return for TD), but other than that not much.

How about this - we are 6-0 when Reggie Ball throws a TD and 0-5 when he does not. We are 2-5 when he throws an INT and 4-0 when he does not. As much as we love PJ Smith, our success really depends on Reggie Ball. In PJ's best 5 games, we are 3-2. In his worst 6 we are 3-3. Not a ton of difference. But those stats on Ball with INT's and TD's are a BIG difference.

Well that puts UVA and GT with identical records and with the UVA win, probably means we will be headed to Boise. How disappointing.

You may want to set your VCR's and TIVO's to record ESPN Classic at 5:00 pm Monday night. They will be televising the 1998 UGA/GT game where we ended the 7 game losing streak with a 21-19 win with a Brad Chambers last-second field goal.

The Preseason NIT announced Friday that the UConn-Georgia Tech semifinal Wednesday at Madison Square Garden will be the late game. Utah plays Texas Tech in the opener at 7 p.m. with the UConn game to begin at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Calhoun said UConn has still not received word from the NCAA on the status of freshman forward Charlie Villanueva, who has sat out the first two games as the NCAA investigates whether he received travel expense money while working out for two NBA teams last summer.

Not only is this the first year ever that Penn State, Notre Dame and Alabama have 6 losses - This is also the first year since 1990 that no team from Florida will compete for a national championship. Of course in 1990 GT and Colorado were competing.

Thanks to CrackerJacket at the Hive for pointing this recording on the radio (790 - our "flagship" station) - check it out. This is a great example of a coach standing up for his players. While at this site, we have been guilty of criticizing individual performances, I hope we have not been guilty of criticizing these players as people. That seems to be what Hewitt took offense to. It took some cahonies to call up these guys and bless them out on the radio. This is another reason why I am proud to have Hewitt representing GT. I for one will try to make sure I keep my comments pertaining to the performance and not the person. Way to go Paul Hewitt!!!

Back from the dead: Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik is the favorite to take over at Central Florida but another name has surfaced that night have some wings. George O'Leary -- remember him? -- has been mentioned. The former Notre Dame coach is currently a defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. Central Florida AD Steve Orsini is a former Notre Dame captain who was an assistant AD at Georgia Tech when O'Leary was there.

I'll go out on a limb this weekend and figure that the Jackets actually feel the negativity of being called underdogs vs. Virginia and they go out fighting like they have the majority of the year. My guess:

Tech 28, UVA 24

-PJ excels again with another 100 yard+ game, setting the tone and taking pressure off Ball.

-The defense breathes fire and kills Schaub gently like they did Rivers...blitz to allow the underneath pass, then tackle, tackle, tackle and dare them to throw long. Schaub gets his numbers, just like Rivers did, but walks away a loser.

Like I said after the ULL game, it isn't fair to pile on this guy since we haven't been in a clutch situation where we needed a basket, rebound, etc. that a good center can get you late in the game. Still, Luke Schenscher makes me wonder about the gaping hole that he leaves in the middle on defense and scoring. This from the AJC today:

"Tech's Luke Schenscher is 7-1 but didn't get much out of his five-inch height advantage. Schenscher missed three of his four shots and finished with two fouls, four rebounds, two points and three turnovers. Hofstra center Wendell Gibson had 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting.

"I think he just might be pressing," Hewitt said of Schenscher."

That's exactly what I was talking about below--even though Schenscher is taller, you have to discount him from your matchups since his aggressiveness either isn't there or hasn't been sparked. What good is a 7-1 guy who gets outrebounded by the point guard in two straight games?

Let's hope that Hewitt is right about him pressing. It's frustrating to watch/hear him get played by other, shorter and smaller, centers on subpar teams.

By the way, remember where you heard it first--Hewitt may be on the way to a coach of the year award in the ACC if he doesn't watch out. Expectations are probably WAY below reality and (I hope) he gets the credit since he's taken the heat for the past two years. Hewitt built this team and with the exception of big Luke (can C. Moore compensate?), I like what I see.

I have added some new links - CyberBuzz, which has a gazillion links to all things Tech. Also I have added a link to the Rambin Wreck club, which does a great job of explaining Tech traditions - everything from George P Burdell to RATS to the Whistle to stealing the "T" - you get the picture.

That's right - UVA views this game as the key to their bowl future. It is really no different for GT. Our destiny is in our control. Make it happen team.

Meanwhile the debate rages on for who will get ACC football coach of the year. And this article tries to make a case it will come down to Tommy Bowden and Chan Gailey. Bowden??? Man, they wanted to hang this guy a few weeks ago. Now they want him for president.

Jonathon Smith getting some love since his record setting performance last Saturday against UNC.

Jeremis stepped back on the court Tuesday of this week. He finished with 32 points and 7 boards, including a half-court 3 pointer to send the game to overtime with one second on the clock. His high school, Dunbar, ended up winning 78-70. This guy got to the free-throw line 23 times (hit 15)!!!!!! Interesting because all the talk is that he will turn into more of a true 3-spot player, but I don't know if Hewitt will be able to keep this guy out of the paint. This is one aggressive guy.

Thursday, November 20, 2003

Check out the load-mouth UK fans spouting off about GT basketball. Yes, we had poor turn-out at our opening game on a bad weather night. Get over yourselves though. As for Hewiit being on the hot seat - give me a break. The fans clearly want GT to be a consistent tourny team, but Hewitt IS our man. He has proven his ability to recruit - HANDS DOWN!! He has had mixed success on the court, but I am convinced we will see improvement there this year. Experience and depth (everywhere but the 5-spot) will lead this team to clearly beat expectations of all the experts.

By the way, UK fans - what is it like to turn on ESPN and see the YellowJackets playing on prime-time? How do you think that impacts recruits? Where is KY playing on TV? That's what I thought.

By the way, if and when Morris comes to GT instead of UK, you can really kiss our collective ...................

Well, the team looked strong again today (or should I say "sounded" strong).

The GOODLewis shows up right from the start, bombing 3's. Ends with 23 on 8/13 (5/10 3pt). Also has 3 boards, 2 blocks, 2 assists and a steal. Jack shows up AGAIN and makes plays. Ends with 11 pointts, 2/5 from 3pt, 11 assists, 7 boards, 6 steals and only 1 turnover. That's quite a line. Two games - TWO DOUBLE/DOUBLE'S. Are you kidding me? Is'mail scores 12 (4/5) and hits 4/5 free throws. Good team defense - forced 24 turnovers. Team got out with a lead early and kept it. Way to finish.

The BADElder has an off night shooting with 5/13 from the floor and only 1/7 from 3pt range. Jack led the team in rebounding. Ok, they were all defensive and probably long boards, but he still led the team in boards. Is'mail had ZERO boards. That cannot happen. In total GT was outrebounded 37-29. Got to do better - much better. A little better from the charity stripe, but needs work (12/18).

The UGLYOk, sorry Luke. But you've got to become a factor. Finished with 2 points (1/4), 4 boards (all defensive), 1 block, 1 steal, 3 turnovers. Just didn't sound great on the broadcast. Luke, this is YOUR time. You are the man. Show us you have it in you.

More on Is'mailLiked Wes Durham's comment on Is'mail during the game "When they throw it up in the white square, the duece can flat go get it". In S.Hummer's recent AJC column, he says "Is'mail reminded the Jackets that he remains deadly from 18 inches in".

If he wants to compete at the highest level, Georgia Tech small forward Isma'il Muhammad will have to follow the career track of Preston Pearson and Rashod Kent.

At 6-feet-6, 230 pounds, Muhammad is one of the most physically impressive college basketball players in the country. Watch him for 10 minutes. You'll get the point. He's big, fast and jumps like he has trampolines for sneakers.

The thing is, he can't shoot outside of 10 feet. For a 6-6 guy, that's a problem -- but only if Muhammad chooses to make basketball his career. He could earn money at the game, no question about it, but he'd have to get a travel visa and learn a second language.

Or he could do what Pearson and Kent did -- follow solid college basketball careers by taking a shot at the NFL.

Pearson was a decent shooting guard for Illinois in the 1960s who became a dependable running back for the Dallas Cowboys, among others. Kent was a power forward for Rutgers, averaging roughly 10 points and 10 rebounds as a senior in 2001-02, before spending the 2002 NFL season as a tight end with the Houston Texans. Most recently he has been on roster with the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe.

With his size and athletic ability, Muhammad could play receiver, tight end, linebacker or defensive end in the NFL. His speed and football instincts would be the defining factors.

All it would take is for one NFL team to show some vision. Then, the choice would be up to Muhammad.

Another review of GT's baseball signings. Definitely gives me hope that we can take our season further and further. Of course, the quality of the class will depend on how many of these kids actually show up on campus. Quite a few will be drafted. Time will tell.

A quick round-up on the remaining unsigned top players, including our favorite Randolph Morris. Here's the Morris re-cap:

Smith’s AAU buddies, Dwight Howard and Randolph Morris are spring guys that is if they ever sign. In Howard’s case, the Southwest Christian Academy center is very likely to bypass college and head straight to the League as a high lottery selection. Morris, a 6-11 big man out of Fairburn (GA) Landmark Christian, is down to Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Clemson.

In Morris’ case, no timetable has been set for a decision. Though unlikely out of high school, there exists a chance that he checks his NBA status as well. It would be unprecedented that three AAU teammates make the leap from high school straight to the pros.

Chris continues to improve as the season progresses. After the stellar game where he hit the 3-pointer that sent the Houston game into OT, then scored 10 in OT (25 total), he has followed up strong. On Wed. he had 16 pts, 6 boards and 6 blocks. I saw him interviewed while I was in Montreal and one thing struck me - how little I have I actually heard him speak. Very well spoken guy, deep voice, an intelligent guy who comes across well.

Tonight is a great test of the theory that we've been talking about, even if the Hofstra Pride is not an ACC-caliber program (check out their schedule though...after us, they go play Providence, then Maryland!). They have some big men up front:

It'll be interesting to see how the team reacts to three 6-6+ players under the net. Only McHenry and Brooks have that kind of height and can move (sorry, Luke). I personally feel that we'll win the game despite being outplayed in the paint, but maybe the Jackets can impress tonight. Hey, we're going to Cornell this weekend anyway, why not hang around the Big Apple for a few more days?

Check out this story. Is this where our bright minded students are now spending their time? My bad - it is actually an undergrad researcher along with 2 faculty advisors. Of course the BCS system is a mess and we really need a playoff system.

I, for one, was not in Quebec during the game last night, and rather than break it down as Scott did, I want to provide a little more fuel for the fire: Luke Schenscher played scared last night and he will have to take on far tougher assignments than the Ragin' Cajuns.

What bothered me most during the game was not the stats, but the fact that he was:

1) Out of position for many rebounds, that were quickly snatched up by Elder, Jack, Muhammad, etc.

2) Passive and slow on defense, watching Cameron pivot around him for easy layups several times. Since the Cajuns were out of the game early, they didn't go to Cameron that much, but he was eating Luke's lunch and could have scored 20+ against him. What will Danelius do to him when we play Wake?

3) Unaggressive when he had the ball under the basket, electing to dribble (and lose it) rather than take it to the hole, even for a layup. If you can't get rebounds, Luke, at least provide some offensive production or get the other guy into foul trouble.

Besides that, dude has some annoying 'fro and chin hair that makes him look like the playa that he ain't. Luke: go to the barber on tenth street and he'll hook you up for 5 dollas. Read my lips--you (and I, by the way) are W-H-I-T-E, dude. Both on and off court.

This is what I'm afraid of: that this guy is incapable of playing center in the ACC because of his lack of aggressiveness and that we'll get eaten alive in the middle this year. Will we be running and gunning in every game because we can't go down low? What happens when we play a real team with height that can contest rebounds under the basket?

I thought Muhammad was great--he's my favorite player now. The heck with ESPN if they'd rather televise the "breaking" championships on ESPN2 than our game Thursday...you're missing a good team, guys.

Please don't accuse me of looking ahead. Obviously the UVA game is critically important for GT. That game will most likely determine our bowl future. However, the UGA game now means a ton for the Dawgs.

This year's GT / UGA game will have some national significance. If the Dawgs are tied with Tenn and Florida at the end of SEC play, the winner of the SEC east will be determined by the BCS standings. UGA has to stay within 5 spots of Tenn in the BCS for the right to play in the title game since they beat Tenn earlier in the year.

What does this all mean? Well, if UGA loses to either Kentucky or GaTech then Tenn would likely win the east. So my friends, it looks likely that we will have the power to really piss off a bunch of Dawgs this year. Don't you just love it.

Well, Reuben Houston is getting offensive stars in his eyes. Didn't realize this guy was such an offensive talent in high school. Considering our weakness and depth at wide receiver might be an interesting addition. However, as Gailey brings also D.Bilbo, not sure he wants another project. But if there seems to be some who has a good feel for players and their ability to switch positions, it's Chan Gailey.

ABC is stalling its announcement on the GT / UGA time next Saturday (1:00pm or 8:00pm). It appears they will make their decision based on the results of our UVA game and UGA's game against KY. If we both win, bet that it will be a night game. Personally, to me there is nothing like a Sat night game for atmosphere and emotion.

Do you know the last time GT beat UVA on the road??? Try 1990, in the storied battle won on the foot of Scott Sisson 41-38 en-route to our National Championship. That's a long dang time!!!! Time to end the streak boys. Make no mistake - the defense needs to show up AGAIN!! Schaub is a playmaker, and UVA is like a wounded dog, losing 4 of the last 5. I have two words - "DUKE" and "CLEMSON". Ok team, get what I'm saying here????

Vikings play the Lions this weekend and there is a connection. Vikingsâ€™ defensive coordinator/defensive line coach George Oâ€™Leary and Lionsâ€™ special teams coach Chuck Priefer coached together at Georgia Tech from 1987-91 and with the San Diego Chargers from 1992-93

Nice update on ACC recruiting, but check out the article on Jeremis Smith. I'll take a little liberty and paste it here, but here is the link.

Tech's Giant-killer

One of Georgia Tech's newcomers is "little big man" Jeremis Smith, who stands 6-5, but plays much taller.

"He's probably the most dangerous inside player in Texas," said Bob Hughes, Smith's coach at Fort Worth Dunbar High School. "Jeremis chewed up Kendrick Perkins (the 6-10 Beaumont center who went straight from high school to the NBA this year) and he embarrassed the kid from Seagoville (No. 6 senior LaMarcus Aldridge, 6-11, who has signed with Texas).

"Jeremis is a guy who plays anywhere. He's a solid 230 pounds and very strong. He goes past taller players and over the shorter, quicker ones, creating big match-up problems. The best way to describe him is just to say he's a basketball player."

Smith averaged 21 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a junior, leading Dunbar to a 37-1 record and the Texas 4-A championship plus a No. 7 national ranking by USA Today. He earned state tournament MVP honors by scoring 30 points in a 66-54 title game win over Beaumont Ozen and Perkins.

"He's an athlete," Hughes said. "He jumps well, handles the ball extremely well and, man, can he finish! He will probably be a small forward when he gets to Georgia Tech, but he plays so well in the paint that I don't know how much they're going to allow him to play out there."

Smith, ranked No. 114, visited Arizona and Oklahoma as well as Tech.

"He liked the whole scenario in Atlanta," Hughes said. "He feels good about the program, Coach (Paul) Hewitt's style of play and the kids they're signing this year.

"When people see Jeremis play in college, they're going to say, 'How did we miss him?' He's a lot better than his ranking."

What approach did each ACC take this year in non-conference hoops games? This article highlights each ACC team, which ones went the tough route and which ones took the cupcakes. GT has a respectable non-conference schedule with games against Tenn, Ohio State, UGA and possibly #1 Uconn if we make it to the finals of the pre-season NIT.

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Well, a solid performance from the Jackets as they beat Louisana-Lafayette 79-45 at the ThrillerDome. Unfortunately I was driving through Canada while the game was going on. Got to my hotel to turn on ESPN and catch the 2nd half - and guess what - Canadians don't like ESPN. What's that all about?? Although I was able to watch "World's Strongest Man" in French though - qui qui.

Back to the game. I was able to get online and listen to the 2nd half. So I'll make some comments based on listening in and the stat line. Luckily I recorded the game so I will check it out when I get back.

Seemed to be a balanced game from the whole team. Strong defense, balanced scoring against a depleted LL club.

Jarrett Jack - double/double with 11 assists and 12 points (5/6, 1/2 3pt, 4 boards, 4 to's, ). Nice outing. If JJ runs the club this way this season look out. However, you know when JJ's last double/double occurred? Try his freshman debut last year. So he has a knack for season opening games. Wes D. on the radio commented on how much stronger he looks this year. Evidently has been hitting the weight room. Great outing by JJ.

BJ Elder - 17 points (8/17, 1/4 3pt, 5 boards). A good start to BJ's season. I said before the season that he should average 17-22 points a game this year).

I'smail Muhammad - 13 points (6/9, 7 boards-4 offensive, 2 blocks, 3 assists, 3 to's). A solid effort for IM. If IM can truly become a slashing offensive threat this year that sure would add a dimension to the team. Combine that with his tenacious defense and he could be a pleasant surprise this year.

Marvin Lewis - One of Marvin's "where did he go" games. 8 points (2/9, 2/8 from 3pt, 2 board, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 to's). Usually Marvin disappears on the road. I sure hope this is not a preview of things to come his senior year. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt since it is the 1st game. Too much hoops to play yet.

Luke Schenscher - had 6 points and 1 rebound. I said 1 rebound. Yes, 1 rebound. really - 1 rebound. I'm not kidding.......Without watchinig the game I cannot comment on his aggressiveness, but 1 rebound against a depleted LL team is not much to get excited about. He did sustain a cut under his eye. I will comment later after watching the tape. However, Luke, at least outrebound Jarrett Jack, who had 4. Please..........really..........please. The Macon Telegraph even did a profile on you today.

Clarence Moore - I like this stat line - 6 boards (3 off), 3 assists, 4 steals. Only had 5 points (2/5) but did hit a 3-pointer. Clarence has said he is willing to do whatever the team needs to win. That is a stat line to me that shows a guy doing some dirty work. I love it. We know this guy can score and this will come as the season progresses.

"The rest" - Robert Brooks had 8 points (4/5) and 6 boards. I will take that ALL DAY my friend. Tony McHenry finished with 5 points (2/3) inlcuding 1/2 from 3-point range. Also had 5 boards, 1 block, 2 assists - reasonable outing from Tony. Would like to see his offense develop (as would all fans) as the season progresses. Jim Nystrom goes 2/2, including one from long distance. That could be a nice confidence booster. We keep hearing about how he shoot the lights out. Anything Jim can contribute adds another dimension as well.

General comments

Rebounding - Everyone talks about our weakness on the inside. Luke is going to have to do more than he did tonight, but check out the distribution of rebounds (Is'mail 7, Moore 6, Brooks 6, Elder 5, McHenry 5, Jack 4, West 3, Lewis 2, Luke S 1, Nystrom 1). A solid effort from all on the boards as GT outrebounded LL 45-29.

Turnovers - 16 total. Better than the pre-season games. I really expect our turnovers to be lower as the season progresses since we do have experienced people in the backcourt.

Free Throw Shooting - 4/10. Welcome to Georgia Tech.

OK - nice win. Love to start the season this way. And it looks like we will have another home game on Thursday against Hofstra as they beat Marist 79-74. If GT beats Hofstra, we could end up matched up against #1 UConn. We will get to see pre-season all-american O.Ekafor, who was almost a YellowJacket and our old "friend" Ed Nelson (on the bench watching of course).

Does everyone realize that tonight's game will be played on a court with international basketball dimensions? Check this out:

"All games in the Preseason NIT games are being played under experimental rules, in which the three-point line will be at 20 feet, 6 inches, and the foul lane is trapezoidal. Both elements are part of international basketball rules, and the new three-point distance has been approved for all games starting in 2004-05."

Yet another reason to watch and learn..and another reason to defend well down low and let the Cajuns take threes all night!

Despite the fact that Luke is anything but a "cool hand" and fouls out with 5 minutes to go tonight, and that we turn over the ball 20+ times, the Jacket press and multiple fast breaks are too much for the Ragin' Cajuns, depleted by academic suspension. I pick us to win by 10, and 90-80 sounds about right.

Things that I'll be watching for:

1- [Insert Vitale voice here] "Elevator man! Muhammad takin' it to the HOOP!" We've heard a lot about how Isma'il is being more aggressive in the paint this preseason...take it to the hole early and often, Ismail. We want to see you take at least 16 foul shots tonight. The guys in the middle need to pick up a few fouls and you're the one to make them pay.

2- How many times Dickie V talks about Jarrett Jack. Hopefully, Jarrett gets some exposure tonight since he's been underrated since arriving here last year. He'll probably look sloppy tonight, but he should do enough (15 pts, 15 assists???) to help the team.

3- How quickly does Hewitt insert Moore and what kind of minutes does he give him? I see that he won't start, and I'm sure that he's being brought along slowly to let the other guys who've stuck around get some minutes, but he's a big key to the season, so I hope he gets a chance tonight.

What an unknown tonight's game is! I'm taping it for repeated viewings, for sure.

Mr. Garciapara managed to garner one 1st place vote, two 2nd place and one 3rd place vote in the AL MVP balloting. That put him in 7th place. Here is a story mentioning Nomar and the fact that 3 Red Sox finished in the top 7 in voting.

Our site received some love from another blog at www.gtcrows.blogspot.com. It is called "tell me one thing you remember about me". Not exactly sure who these people are, but seems to be some Tech students. Check it out. Always willing to share the love.

Monday, November 17, 2003

A good update from RamblinWreck about the 11 GT baseball signees during the early signing period. Certainly seems like another great class from Danny Hall. A strong early group of pitchers and some multi-talented guys who can pitch and hit.

Just like the high school Lebron tour, the Dwight Howard tour has started. In January he will be in Greenville SC and play against Ra'Sean Dickey's high school team. I will certainly try to attend that one.

While PJ didn't get offensive back of the week, GT did get plenty of recognition this week. Frankly as great as PJ was, Philip Rivers (NC ST) and Josh Allen (MD) probably deserve it even more considering the level of defensive competition they were up against. Heck, Allen rushed for even more yards than PJ Daniels and of course Rivers played his heart out against FSU, only to have it stomped at the end. For details, click here. For the GT perspective click here.

However, here are the GT awards for the week.

DEFENSIVE BACK Georgia Tech's Reuben Houston (Peachtree City, Ga.) made three key defensive plays in the Yellow Jackets' 41-24 win over North Carolina with an interception, a fumble recovery and a sack. The 6-0, 195-pound cornerback also had eight tackles and a pass breakup. With the Jackets clinging to a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter and North Carolina on the move into Tech territory, the redshirt sophomore's fumble recovery at the Tech 14-yard line preserved the lead.

SPECIALIST

Georgia Tech's Jonathan Smith (Argyle, Ga.) recorded three touchdowns in less than seven minutes of the fourth quarter in the Yellow Jackets' victory over North Carolina (41-24), including a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown. The 5-11, 185-pound wideout became the first player in Tech history to have a touchdown pass, a touchdown reception and touchdown return in the same game. After Saturday's performance, the senior now leads the ACC in punt returns with a 10.4-yard average. Smith accounted for a total of 157 yards in the game, including six receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown, five yards rushing, a 26-yard touchdown pass and 75 punt return yards.

ROOKIE

Georgia Tech's Reggie Ball (Stone Mountain, Ga.) threw a season-best three touchdown passes to lead the Yellow Jackets' to a 41-24 victory over North Carolina. The 5-11, 192-pound freshman completed 13 of 25 passes for 122 yards and three scores and rushed 12 times for 53 yards to total 175 yards of total offense. With the score tied at 17-17, Ball moved Tech down the field for the go-ahead field goal with an 81-yard drive on which he gained 32 yards rushing.

....and most likely to the winner of the GT / UVA game. So here it is. This game means the difference between Boise in winter and Orlando. The difference between a minor recuiting boost to a bowl game in the heart of football talent. And we may know Saturday night or Sunday morning who is going to play.

Strap the pads on tight this week boys - there needs to be some heavy hitting. You need to play like EVERYTHING is on the line. EVERYTHING. Go Jackets!!!!!

Nice story on one of our new recruits Blake Dewitt - check out those high school numbers (.513 averge, 14 HR's, 45 RBI's, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 40 runs, 17 walks AND as a pitcher he was 9-0, 0.87 ERA in 48 innings striking out 62 and only walking 10). Wow.

Chris Bosh had BY FAR his best game as an NBA pro, hitting his 1st NBA 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Then he proceeds to score 10 of his season high 25 in the overtime periods (2). Check out Steve Francis's sour grapes quote - "He was lucky. He just threw it up and hoped it went in". Know what Stevie, IT DID GO IN!! So take that and your sore loser attitude and stuff it. By the way, I saw the highlights tonight and a couple of comments. First Bosh's 3-pointer was a wide-open baseline shot as Vince Carter passed out of an almost triple team. He did not hesitate and went right up with up and got nothin but net. Second, old Stevie Francis missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win, THEN missed another 3-pointer in OT to win. So there are the sour grapes. Bosh's overall stats - 25 points on 7/11 shooting, 10/10 from the line (6/6 in OT), 9 boards (6 offensive). Here is another re-cap of the game, and here is one from the Canadian Press. Also, from Hoopsworld, this quote "Who is the smartest, most court-aware rookie? No, not King Hype. It’s Chris Bosh. Just watch this kid play. He doesn’t make mistakes. He has a nice shot, doesn’t force things and can do everything needed. He also has ice water in his veins. This kid will be a star, and soon." For an update on Rookie Stats so far (prior to this game), click here.

Meanwhile in the NFL, Kelly Campbell caught 4 balls for 115 yards including a TD in the Vikings loss to the Raiders. Nice outing.

Also in the NFL, Dez White caught 4 passes for 39 yards, including a TD as well in the Bears loss to St.Louis.

Tony Hollings returned 3 kicks for the Houston Texans for a total of 32 yards as he continues his comeback from an ACL tear. Houston beat the Bills. Nice story about Hollings and his rehab from a torn ACL.

Lastly, a story a GT transfer (out not in) Andy Hall, quarterbacking at Div I-AA Univ of Delaware. Had an outstanding performance Sat. earning his 3rd offensive player of the week honor in the Atlantic 10.